Image courtesy of Spotify
Back in 1993 — in the days of unquestionable coolness — alt-rock band Counting Crows covered “The Ghost in You” by the Psychedelic Furs, a staple of ‘80s new wave. Despite Counting Crows’ star-studded discography, I always return to this cover as their greatest musical accomplishment. I listen in awe of how it strips down the original’s new wave sheen and elicits an entirely different sense of melancholy, despite sharing the same lyrics and structure. Adam Duritz’s beautiful, breaking voice meshes with a lonely acoustic guitar and bass, creating a sound that is both atmospheric and intimate. What makes this song so charming is that it was quite an insignificant commission; Counting Crows recorded this cover at KBCO, an independent radio station in Boulder, Colorado, as their contribution to the soundtrack of the 1995 film “Clueless.” If that doesn’t tell you about the magic of the ‘90s, I don’t know what will. Only in that golden era of culture could a teen rom-com soundtrack boast such a timeless piece like “The Ghost in You.” So, this Fall Quarter, put on “Clueless” or queue up Counting Crows for a trip back in time.
Listen to the rest of the playlist here!